The Journey of Life

Life follows a set routine.

First, we live in our parents' house.

Then, we have a house of our own.

And eventually, we find ourselves living in the house of our children.

The home where you nurtured your children is later claimed by them as their own.

They say, "This is our house now, Father; kindly step aside."

Ironically, you resided in that very house long before they even existed — before they were conceived.

With the changing behavior of children, the home you built becomes meaningless.

They relegate you to a corner, labeling you as "unwanted," forgetting that once, you were its sole master.

This is a profound matter.

When you lived in your parents’ home, you were cherished and wanted.

Parents invested their love and effort into you, leaving the house entirely in your care when they departed.

In return, as a child, you respected them. But as you grow older, the dynamics shift.

Now, as an elder, you are told, "Where were you again today? Please come home early."

When this stage arrives, your life starts to lose meaning.

If your children begin to remark, "Once again, he’s here," upon your return, it signifies the erosion of your place in their hearts and lives.

Life becomes devoid of purpose when, in your own home, you feel as displaced as you would in another’s.

In the neighborhood, people initially recognize you as "so-and-so's child."

Eventually, the narrative flips, and you are identified as "so-and-so’s father."

This happens because those who knew you leave, and with their departure, your identity fades.

The Disappearance of Value

The tragedy lies in the departure of those who recognized your worth.

When they are gone, you are left without an anchor of identity.

Then, you are reduced to nothing.

Even your existence becomes suspect.

The poet aptly captures this sorrow:

"He has asked me my name — my name, which I once wore so proudly."

What a difficult moment it is when someone asks, "Who are you?"

You might respond, "There was a time when we lived in this very neighborhood, and it was ours."

But the greatest shock comes when, at the door of the house that was once yours, your grandchild asks, "Who are you, and who are you here to see?"

The cycle has been ongoing since the beginning of time.

With time, we forget even our origins and are forgotten by others.

If you return to your village, you will find yourself a stranger.

Those who knew you are gone. The cities are crowded, but your familiarity with them is hollow.

You become restricted, disconnected from the fabric of relationships.

Old friends forget you, and some pass away unnoticed.

Gradually, the shops close, acquaintances vanish, and the person who was once so real fades into a mere memory.

This is life.

Everything that once existed becomes nothing.

One by one, things depart and are forgotten.

Eventually, the self forgets its own being.

"Man is consumed by his circumstances and distractions."

The divine reminder echoes

What is this abundance?

It is the wealth, the children, the desires for material gain, and the love of the fleeting world.

Man becomes entangled in this excess, oblivious until death claims him.

The abundance and the desires remain, but the man himself is no more.

Man leaves with nothing.

The sacks he filled remain behind.

"You cannot take anything with you from here."

This world, the skies, and the earth are yours only to witness, not to own.

Yet many have not witnessed the beauty of existence.

They have not seen the rising sun or the setting sun.

They have not marveled at the divine creation — the moon, the starlit skies, the magnificence of the cosmos.

Instead, they remain lost in their desires and endless ambitions.

People have forgotten their purpose.

They are consumed by profits, losses, and competition, ignoring the ultimate reality: we all must depart.

This world is merely a marketplace, bustling with activity, yet incomplete and transitory.

No one has ever completed the work of this world.

Each one leaves it unfinished.

The poet observes:

"The work of the world remains undone; the beginning never meets the end."

The solution to this existential dilemma is simple:

Be loyal to someone.

Sacrifice for others.

Do good for someone.

Guide a blind soul.

Pray for others.

Let go of anger.

Refrain from complaints.

By doing so, your life will find true success and fulfillment.

Reflection by Hazrat Wasif Ali Wasif (RA) Book "Guftago"